A United Nations official in Nauru says many women don't envisage women take up leadership roles.
UN Women has been running a series of workshops, hoping to increase women's participation in politics before the elections later this year.
Its development manager in Nauru Erana Aliklik said the mindset of men as head of the house and country was pervasive and needs to be changed.
"Women are not in supportive of women, women are very much in supportive of men. Someone has to stand up and say, and just promote women political participation and gender equality, and all the roles and why women should be represented in Parliament. Because nobody is taking the step, but then just waiting for others."
Ms Aliklik said this was the kind of message that women needed to hear, and gender equality must be promoted in the household as well as to the highest level.